Centrifugal apparatus



, May 10 1932- "r. CHESTER 1,858,071

- CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS med oct. 2o. 1951 /Az 5- z, 4

INVENTOR m @gy i z l AT1-o NEYI immuun-Mayl 1o, 1932 g UNITED, STATESv'mons CHESTER, or rITTsBUnGH, :PENNSYLVANIA eFH-C12' g p. CENTBIFUGALerana'rus Application mea october 2o, 1931. serial'lro.' 599,949.

This invention relates to that type of cene trifugal apparatus knownvariously as fans, pumps, blowers or exhausters, hereinafter termedblowers, the uses of which are to 'pump, compress or expand, orotherwise generally to move, fluids which may be gaseous or liquid. l

Such a blower comprises two principal parts, a rotatably mountedimpeller, and a stationary casing therefor. The impeller is betweenlblades.

' of radial outward flow type provided with a plurality of bladesconcentrically arranged as in squirrel cage or other formation about itsaxis so as to set into rotary motion luid Centrifugal force is thuscaused to act upon the'fluid, forcing it out y of the impeller in alldirections radial of the l gradually expanding or volute form having aspiral wall peripheral of the impeller,` starting from a point adjacentthe impeller, leading thereabout while receding'` therefrom, andterminating at the mouth of the casing, which mouth is between the twoends of the spiral casing wall and thus directed generally tangentiallyof the impeller. Since the impeller is of radial outward flow type, thecasingvis provided with a circularinlet opening at one or both sides,through which the fluid to be `acted upon may enter the hollow of theimpeller about which the impeller blades are arranged.

Considering one inlet opening only, flow will be therethrough parallelwith the axis of the impeller, thence spreading radially thereof in alldirections to and between the impeller blades, the characteristic pathof How thus including a 90 bend. It is an object of my invention toprovide defiector means for stabilizing" the flow through this angle,too

thereby reduce the inlet loss.

It is usually aconditionfof the installationl thatI the impeller bedriven at a constant speed, whereas infmany cases the volumetric demandupon the blower varies greatly. This may be accomplished by obstructingthe flow either to or from` the blower, d Accordingto my 1nvent1on Iprovide .novel `means for controlling the inlet opening.

A further object of my invention lis\to comblne in this means thefunctions ofboth'y regupath of flow within the impeller; and stilllating the inlet opening, and controlling the another object is toaccomplish this in a novel manner by providing deflector members ad- 6.0opening, and open or deflecting positions justable between closedpositions at the inlet within the impeller.

The exact nature-of my invention together with further objects andadvantages thereof will be apparent from the following descrip- -tiontaken inconnection with the accompany- Aing drawmgs, in which Figs. 1and'2are sec-` tional elevations asin the plane of line 2 2,

Fig. 3, -showing anL embodiment of myinvention with the parts adjustedto open and closed positions respectively; and'Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the same, parts being broken away to show details ofconstruction.

With reference now to the drawings, 1 is the impeller of the blower,having blades 2 ,and journalled as at 3 to be rotatablydriven.

The casing 4 is arranged about the impeller,

the casing having an inlet opening 5 leading into the hollow 6 withinthe impeller and surrounded by theblades'2 of the latter.

In-the embodiment shown, a casting is ar ranged at the inlet 5 having acircular peripheral portionf? defining the inlet passage,'a

plurality of radial arms 8, three beingshown,

.forming a spider supporting acentral boss 9.

For Acooperation with the rim 7 about the inlet opening to control thelatter, I provide a number of deflector members 1212a, 12b,

etc., three being shown. The central yone of I `these deflector members12 is generally circular; the remaining ones are lannular,the

largest being' of sufficient diameter to Seat upon the rim 7. Therelative sizes. ofathese members are'such that when concentricallyarranged, in the zone lofthe inlet opening, as

-unobstructe'd'by them.v The members' may shown Fig. 2, .they will seatone upon the other to completely close the opening; and

Y tor members for adjustment between the two illustrated positions, areprovided. 'Ilie supporting means illustrated comprises va numberof-members, all extending parallel with the impeller axis, andincludingthe members 13 carried bythe arms 8, Iand the central member10. There is a set of members 13, including one in each arm 8, for eachdeflector member. Thusvthree supporting meinbers 13b are provided forthe deflector member 12b, three supporting members 13a 'are provided forthe deector member12a,

and three supporting members 13 are provided for the deflector member12. vEach supporting member 13 is preferably .se-

cured in its arm 8, extends therefrom into the hollow 6 of the impellerand is provided.

at its inner end with a head as indicated. Each deector member 12 ,isperforated to receive its supporting members 13 so as to be slidabletherealong, yet supported thereupon concentric with the impeller. Inaddition each annular deflector member 12 has similar sliding connectionwith the supporting members 13 of its next smaller adjacent deectormember. Thus the deiiector member 12b is provided with bosses 146drilled to receive the supporting members 13a for the next smallerdeector member 12a.

The central deflector member 12 is connected with the end of a centralsupporting member 10 as indicated, as by bolting thereto at 15. It willbe apparent that the set of deilector members is held by the supportingarrangement described, in concentricrelation by .the supporting members10 and 13, but is allowed thereby adjustment between open and closedpositions.

The boss 9 is bored coaxial with the impeller, to slidably receive themember -10 which is threaded, but'prevented from rotation in the boss asby the key 11 .extending into slots in both the boss and the member 10.A hand wheel 16 is threaded upon the member 10 outside the boss 9 bywhich the member 10 is adjustable along the impeller axis.

Operation willbe apparent. Assuming the parts in the position of Fig.v2with the impeller in operation. since the inlet isclosed the blower willdeliver no iiuid. and the irnpeller will operate with but slight loadon'its driving means as its blades will be movingin a substantialvacuum. As the hand wheel 16 is adjusted to allow the supporting member10 to move inwardly toward the position of Fig. 1, atmospheric pressureand velocity of flow always tending to move the deflector members:linwardly for having an inlet opening, a

from closed position, allv4 of the deiiector members will move from theopening, unseating from the,` rim 7 and thus providing anannular eectiveinlet opening. As the opening adjustment of the hand wheel 16 iscontinued, the deflector members will together continue their openingmovement until the outermost one 12b bears against the heads on the endsof its supporting members 13b. Thereafter this deiector member willremain so positioned and the remaining deflector members will continueopening. Ultimately the second delector member 12a will be stopped bythe heads on its supporting members 13a. Thereafter the centraldeflector 'member 12 alone will continue opening movement until it isstopped by its supporting members 13. A

In the closing operation the parts move in the reverse manner.

Obviously the blower output at any time the outermost deflector member12b' d-epends upon the instant settingl of the desaid opening when insaid closed position, and each to direct low from a portion of said theopening to a portion of said impeller when in said open position.

2. In a centrifugal device comprising a rotatably mounted impeller and acasing therefor having an inlet opening, a plurality of members arrangedfor adjustment along the axis of said impeller between closed po sitionat said opening and open position within the impeller, said membersbeingv adapted for cooperation one seating upon another to close saidopening when in said closed position,

and each to direct flow from a portion of said opening to a portionofsaid impeller when in said open position, ing for the latter purpose ananticlastic surface concentric with said impeller, one of s aid membersbeing circular and another being annular. 4

3. In a centrifugal device comprising a rotating impeller and astationary casing thereplurality of concentric deiector memberssupported for adjustment along the axis of the impeller be'A tweenclosed positions at said opening and open positions within the impeller,said de-Y iector members including an annular member and its supportingmeans including a plurality of supporting members spaced about saidopening, and said deflector members-including a central deiector memberand its slipper-ting means including a supporting .i

member disposed alon the impeilei' axise 4. In acentrifugal evicecomprising a iotating impeller and a stationary casing there 5 forhaving'an inlet opening, a plurality of concentric deector memberssupported for adjustment along the axis of the impeilenbe`1 p tweenclosed positions at said opening and open positions Withinv theimpeller, saidzdelo ector members including an annular meml j ber andits supporting means ,including a plul i rality of supporting membersspaced about said opening, said deflector membersincluding a centraldeector member and its supporting means including a supporting memberdisposed along the impeller axis, and said defiector 'members'includingadefieetor memn berintermediate .said described deector members,` and itssupporting means including supporting members associated with thelatter. Y

In testimonyA hereof I hereby atiix my signature.

THOMAS CmBSTER.

